The 29 Transmitter Campaign!
TSTV is determined to raise enough in donations to have a Digital Transmitter up by January 29th on Channel 29 in Austin! We can not do it without support. If you believe in what we are doing for students at The University of Texas, please donate to our fund. All those who donate will be recognized on a plaque in the building that houses Texas Student Media. TSM is a non-profit organization which means that any donation is tax deductable and an acknowledgement will be automatically sent out to those for tax purposes. Individuals interested in donating more than the allotted amounts on the web or those who wish to mail in donations can contact Brandon Farmahini or mail your donation to our offices.
Grant Money |
Donations |
Goal |
$31,000 |
$85,000 |
What is a Digital Transmitter?
Currently, TSTV has an antenna on top of the University of Texas Clock Tower that broadcasts an analog signal. Imagine, this analog signal is a man screaming off the top of the tower. The further away you are from the man, the harder it is to hear him. In the same way, analog signals get weaker the further you get away from their transmitter. Digital Transmitters broadcast their signals in 1s and 0s which travel better through the air.
How will this change where TSTV can be seen?
TSTV will continue to broadcast in UT dorm rooms as well as on Time Warner and Grande Cable one hour a night. Currently, the TSTV analog over the air broadcast signal is restricted to around campus and the signal quality is quite poor. Going digital would expand our reach to the whole city of Austin. Over 1,000,000 people will be able to watch TSTV programming with a crystal clear picture.
How does TSTV make money?
TSTV is non-profit but still has to generate revenue in order to sustain expenses. It generates revenue through production work and a limited amount of advertising but that is not enough to offset the costs of a fully fuctioning FCC licensed television station. Every month we incure the costs of fixing cameras that our voluneteers use 5 out of 7 days of the week. We have to pay to maintain our Fiber lines that transmit video signals across the city which make our Live Sports broadcasts possible. The list of expenses goes on and on.
What opportunities will this create for TSTV?
Our whole operation is made possible by 300+ volunteers who work many hours a week for no monetary compensation. The transmiter will allow us to expand the budget and update a wide range of outdated equipment and software to better prepare our volunteers for work in the real world. Most importantly, the digital transmitter ensures that TSTV will be around in the many years to come.
Volunteer Testimonials
"I came to this station with no prior knowledge of how to edit, shoot, or work in a studio, but within a month the tools I needed were given to me through classes taught at TSTV and actual experience making packages for Sneak Peek. I worked hard and in doing so had the wonderful chance to make the best friends I could possibly hope for." -James Stevens
"Before TSTV, I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I had no idea what to do in college. I tried everything. The Daily Texan. KVRX. Longhorn Hellraisers. UT Army ROTC. All with positive influences in my life, but none with as great an impact as Texas Student Television." -William Patterson
"In school, my teachers tell me that they can see how differently TSTV volunteers such as myself work compared to their other students. And that’s a good thing. Because of these differences, I am currently a top candidate to work for the ABC News Bureau on campus, a job that many people are hoping to obtain." -Loren Grush
"Even though I’m only a freshman, TSTV has given me the opportunity to work hands on with professional equipment that I normally could not use. Since I put so much time into working here, I am already producing one show and co producing another, and the experience of working under weekly deadlines with others has given me valuable real world experience and knowledge. And there’s nothing more rewarding than seeing something you helped make air on TV, which gives me a thrill every time it happens. I even get a kick out of watching our shows on my TV back at the Castilian, despite the extremely fuzzy antenna signal in my room." -Steven Zurita
